Dehumidifier



atented Jan. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES TENT QFFICE DEHUMIDIFIER Herbert P.Weierman, Rydal, Pa. Application November 29, 1945, Serial No. 631,598

(Cl. 18S-4.4)

2 Claims.

This invention relates to dehumidiers and more particularly to apparatusfor removing moisture from the air in a confined space such as a room.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide adehumidifier which is adapted for the rapid removal of air-bornemoisture.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide adehumidifier Which is portable in character so that the same may beemployed in different locations as desired.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide adehumidifier which will require a minimum of attention and which may bereadily recharged as required by unskilled persons.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the specificationand claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be morereadily understood from the following description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a preferred form of dehumidier inaccordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical central sectional view of the dehumidier shown inFigure l;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the dehumidier; and

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of a removable container employed inconnection with the dehumidifier.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawingsherein are illustrative merely, and that various modiiications and f"chan-ges may be made in the structure disclosed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which a preferredembodiment of the invention is illustrated, an outer cylindrical casingI is provided, preferably of light weight material such as wood,plywood, sheet metal or the like, which is supported in elevatedposition with respect to the floor by suitable legs I I. The casing I0preferably has a removable cylindrical cover or top section I2 mountedthereon the side walls thereof extending upwardly in alignment with theside walls of the casing I0. The cover section I2 is preferably closedby a top Wall I3 which is provided with a central opening I4. Anelectric motor I5 is provided and is supported on a bracket I6 carriedon the top Wall I3. The electric motor I5 has wires I'I connectedthereto leading to a pronged plug I8 which is adapted to be plugged inon ordinary house current of volts. On the shaft I9 of the motor I5 afan 26 is provided for drawing air downwardly through the opening I 4and a screen 32 is mounted in the opening I4 to prevent the entrance ofundesired material and for preventing injury to or by the fan 20.

The lower part of the casing Ill is closed by a bottom wall 2I having acentral opening 22 from which a frusto-conical section 23, preferably ofsheet metal extends upwardly and functions as a funnel, -as hereinafterexplained.

Within the casing I0 a removable container 25 is provided, preferablymade of wire or other foraminous material, such as screening. Thecontainer 25 preferably includes a central cylindrical portion 26 and anouter conical portion 21 connected to the cylindrical portion 26 at thebottom. The container 25 is preferably provided with suitable handles 28for the removal of the same from the casing I 0 as desired. Thecontainer 25 is adapted to be supplied with hygroscopic material such as'calcium chloride, which has the property of absorbing moisture from theatmosphere and forming a solution in the absorbed moisture. A bucket orother sultable container 3| is provided beneath the opening 22 forreceiving the dissolved material.

The mode of operation will it is thought be apparent from the foregoingbut it may be noted that moisture laden air drawn in by the fan 20passes and is directed downwardly through the interior of thecylindrical screen portion 26 and in contact with the conical screenportion 27 so as to be brought into intimate relationship with thehygroscopic material in the container. The air of reduced moisturecontent passes downwardly through the cylindrical screen portion 26 andis discharged through the central opening 22 at the bottom. The moisturetaken up and absorbed by the hygroscopic material causes the same toslowly dissolve and the liquid thus resulting passes downwardly throughthe container 25 and is directed by the funnel portion 23 into thecontainer 3 I, for collection.

With the dehumidifier of the present invention the moisture content of aroom and particularly a basement room or the like may be quickly andeasily reduced and by intermittent or continuous operation as requiredinjury toY wall coverings, game apparatus and the like in such a room isprevented. At the same time theroom ls made more comfortable for use.

I claim:

l. In a dehumidifier, a vertical enclosing casing having a lower sectionand a removable upper section, said upper section having an air inletopening in the top wall thereof, a motor operated ian carried by saidupper section for circulating air downwardly through said casing, thelower section at the lower part thereof having an interior inwardlyinclined wall with a central discharge opening, supporting means forsaid casing for spacing said inclined wall upwardly for the reception ofa receptacle below said discharge opening, and a removable container forhygroscopic material in said lower section supported by said inclinedwall, said container having the walls thereof of foraminous material andhaving a central vertical oraminous material lined air passageway incommunication with said openings, the outer wall of the upper portion ofsaid container being spaced inwardly from the inner wall of said lowercasing and the lower portion of said container converging inwardlytowards the discharge opening.

2. In a dehumidifier, a vertical cylindrical enclosing casing having alower section and a removable upper closure section, said upper sectionhaving an air inlet opening in the top wall theref of, a motor operatedfan mounted on the top wall of said upper section for circulating airdownwardly through said casing, the lower section at the lower partthereof having an interior in wardly inclined wall with a centraldischarge opening, supporting means for said casing for spacing saidinclined wall upwardly for the reception of a receptacle below saiddischarge opening, and a removable container for hygroscopic material insaid lower section supported by said inclined wall, said containerhaving the walls thereof of foraminous material and having a centralvertical foraminous material lined air passageway in communication withsaid openings, the outer -wall of the upper portion of said containerbeing spaced inwardly from the inner wall of said lower casing and thelower portion of the outer wall of said container being frusto-conicaland converging inwardly towards the bottom thereof.

HERBERT P. WEIERMAN.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 913,325 Touzirnsky Feb. 23, 1909985,966 Arnold Mar. '7, 1911 1,170,469 Van Calcar Feb. 1, 1916 2,114,761Crider Apr. 19, 1938 2,279,326 Kaufman Apr. 14, 1942 2,294,183Hohn-Hansen Aug. 25, 1942 2,362,933 Schaefer Nov. 14, 1944 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 374,919 France Apr. 19, 1907

